The subject matter disclosed herein relates to electrical distribution equipment and, more particularly, to indicators for electrical distribution devices.
Conventional electrical distribution equipment generally includes one or more circuit breakers, and often includes a plurality of circuit breakers housed in drawout units in switchgear housings and other electrical equipment. Periodically, the circuit breaker drawout units require removal to facilitate maintenance and or replacement of the associated switching devices. In order to facilitate removal, or otherwise to disconnect the circuit breaker from an electrical circuit, the circuit breaker is “racked out”, that is, disconnects in the circuit breaker are moved from a connected position to a disconnected position.
Typical circuit breakers have three positions. The first position is a “connected position” in which primary and secondary disconnects of the circuit breaker are connected to a circuit. The second position is a “disconnected position” in which the primary and secondary disconnects are disconnected. The third position is a “test position”, in which the primary disconnects are disconnected but the secondary disconnects are connected. The test position allows a user, for example, to check the functioning of secondary or control power. Breakers may be racked between these three positions. When racking out, the breaker is moved from the connected position, through the test position, into the disconnected position.
A racking mechanism is included in conjunction with the circuit breaker, such as a racking shaft, that allows for rotation of the mechanism to move the circuit breaker into the connected position. Indicators of the various positions are provided in conjunction with the racking mechanism, and are generally dependent on the rotation of the racking mechanism to indicate position. However, non-synchronization between the indicator and the racking mechanism may cause the indicator to incorrectly or incompletely indicate the position of the circuit breaker, and thus prove inaccurate in indicating whether the circuit breaker is fully connected or disconnected.